It’s Property Porn for some people…
I have many times been caught out doing it, drifting from one on to the other, becoming more and more indulged and pushing my temptation higher and higher… Those good old ‘Property Photos‘.
For many people, they will admit to spending time gazing through images of property for sale, many times way out of their spending budgets, but nonetheless the draw to view those photos of the multi-million pound homes, those kitchens, those triple garages, the wine cellars, indoor swimming pools… You know what I mean!
So, just how important are photos to marketing property? Well, we do not really have to answer that do we as we know that a photo can paint a thousand words and with more and more people searching for property online, a photo is usually the first eye catching piece of detail they are drawn to when looking through the search results. We still see property on the likes of RIghtmove / Zoopla listed with multiple agents and yet the variation in photo quality can still be vast so this still leaves some agents with a march to steal on their rivals.
I would certainly say that the standard of property photos by estate agents has increased massively thanks to not only themselves taking a lot more care, but also to the fact that camera/image quality has improved immensely on easy to use cameras (even on mobile phones), the softwares that can be used to touch up images to include adding blue skies and also by agencies using the likes of poles to give better views or drones for aerial shots. Some agencies outsource the photography of course (some agents even using audio / video tours) so to hand over the responsibility to a professional thus guaranteeing the best quality images.
Interesting viewing – Terrible Real Estate Photography:
http://terriblerealestateagentphotos.com/
Certainly on higher priced homes, it is very hard to pick out poor images externally or internally and many choose to share plenty of photos so viewing a property online is as nearly in as much detail to visiting the property itself and that is what many in the industry, certainly within proptech, are trying to do for those searching for property online – Give them the best experience possible.
So, what can you do to make sure that your property photos are the best?
- Choose a quality camera – Sometimes your mobile phone can give amazing image quality over a camera purchased in a high street electrical store. Though remember that even though your camera may be top of the range, you could end up with poorer photos over a cheaper version is you do not know how to use your device correctly -Even cameras on mobile phones have an immense amount of options to choose from to enable you to get that ‘perfect photo‘ at anytime of the day or evening.
- Check online for softwares or companies that are able to touch up those photos for you, especially those who can add those all important blue skies to those images you have taken on that dark, grey day.
- If you are no expert on taking photos then use the ‘auto’ option that gives you the standard best photo in the current light otherwise you may end up with over exposure if you choose the wrong setting.
- Make sure your photo correctly represents the rooms you are photoing, try not to over do it with the wide angled lense that showcases that amazingly spacious kitchen that in reality only allows one person in it at one time!
- Check out the accessories you can purchase to make those photos stand out even more. I am sure, especially those of you working in the centre of some of our larger towns, have seen people taking those ‘selfie photos’ with the pole on their mobile phone (really effective I must admit), so why not for when you are taking photos? A higher up picture, especially in spacious and high ceiling rooms, can be much more effective over eye level shots.
- Drones. Emerging market that is for sure, allow you to take amazing photos of the exterior and really effective on those premium listings and especially those with larger gardens. You can look into buying your own drone or use the service of a local company (many new companies dedicated to drone footage are starting up or existing companies adopting drones).
Speaking with some really dedicated photographers of property, they say that it is the photo that sells the house and some photos you can even class as sexy and eye catching or as we say, property porn.
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